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Coffman and Lamborn Want to Withhold Birthright From Immigrants

Deck

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution assures citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof." But certain Republican lawmakers across the country do not believe that should apply to the children of undocumented immigrants. A U.S. House bill seeks to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are not here legally—derogatorily referred to as "anchor babies." The Denver Daily News reports that two Republican representatives from Colorado, Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn, are among the dozens of lawmakers backing the proposed Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, which would require a legal review of the constitutional amendment.

Former congressman Tom Tancredo is raising funds for a political action committee in support of the idea, while immigrant-rights groups see the bill itself as insidious. A similar measure isn't doing so well in Arizona, where the state lawmaker who proposed it has called off the vote in committee because it did not have enough support (via the Associated Press). Here in Colorado, a measure that closely resembles Arizona's controversial enforcement law is expected to die. According to the Pueblo Chieftain, state Representative Randy Baumgardner, a Hot Sulphur Springs Republican, is wary of the legal fees taxpayers would have to pay if the measure were to be challenged in courts.